Urban Studies Expert, Best-Selling Author Richard Florida to Open Lecture Series

Written by Sherrel Jones

The Texas Tech Presidential Lecture & Performance series premiers its spring season with best-selling author Richard Florida.

His speech will focus on economic prosperity through support of arts and culture, said President Guy Bailey. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Student Union Building Allen Theatre.

For a live feed from the question and answer session and the lecture follow @TTUevents on Twitter.

"Because of the breadth of his knowledge and research, Dr. Florida brings a global view to why people live where they do, what is important to them, how a city retains its citizens and how a city prospers," Bailey said. "His talk on campus will focus on economic prosperity through support of arts and culture by the creative class, whether students, artists, scientists or researchers."

Some of Florida’s achievements include writing numerous articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Harvard Business Review and Financial Times. His new book, "Who's Your City?" has been called a national bestseller, an international bestseller and Amazon Book of the Month.

Recently named one of the "best and brightest" by Esquire Magazine, Florida is a national and international best-selling author. His book "The Rise of the Creative Class," has received awards including Washington Monthly's Political Book Award and was cited as a major breakthrough idea by Harvard Business Review.

Florida received his doctorate from Columbia University and held professorships at Carnegie Mellon University, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Other spring events in the series include Pilobolus Dance Theatre, an exploration of creative collaboration in the form of dance, 8 p.m. March 2 at the Allen Theatre.

The Santa Fe Opera Spring Tour, a project of The Santa Fe Opera’s Education and Community Programs Department, will commence at 2 p.m. April 18 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center Theatre, as an added event to the Lubbock Arts Festival.

Tickets for Richard Florida and Pilobolus Dance Theatre are on sale for $12 at Select-A-Seat locations or online at http://www.ticketsage.com/_lubbock. Texas Tech students are allowed one free ticket from the Student Union ticket booth with a valid student ID. Admission for Santa Fe Opera Spring Tour is free. For more information, visit www.presidentialseries.ttu.edu

For a live feed from the question and answer session and the lecture follow @TTUevents on Twitter.